The Baby Farm
by bugsandbeauty
Summary: Grissom and Sara work the death of a child at a well-to-do clinic. Will the victim's secrets bring them closer or tear them apart? COMPLETE
1. Default Chapter

The Baby Farm  
  
by Bugs & Beauty  
  
AN: I do not own CSI. The crimes related in this fanfic are based on actual events that took place in Australia in the 1800-1900s. Some facts have been changed for literary reasons. This takes place in Season 4 and may have spoilers for any episode up to Fight Night.  
  
Chapter One  
  
Makin Children Center  
  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
The yellow police tape cornered the front walk from the shady trees on the side to the fence that cornered off the parking lot. Two police cars were parked out front with their lights flashing. Captain Jim Brass waved over to the two approaching CSI members. In one hand, he held a pen that he used to point to the interior of the Center.   
  
"We have one dead infant." The older captain looked down at his notes scrawled in the notepad. "Little girl named Clara Small, age eight. We haven't located the parents yet."  
  
The older of the two CSI members nodded his head carefully and shifted his silver evidence case to his other hand. "The parents just left her here?" he queried the policeman.  
  
Brass shooked his head at Grissom. "No, it seems to be policy to drop the kids off and then pick them up after they get better." He shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"Just like a drive thru..." Sara's voice trailed off as she shook her head. Exchanging a glance with Grissom, she stepped forward and into the building.  
  
Inside the Center, two officers were grouping seven small children together in a room. A nurse was at the reception desk talking to an officer who bent over towards her. Every so often he scribbled down a note then ask another question. Sara's head turned one way then the other looking for the dead child. Seeing no sign of her, she shot one of the officer's a questioning look. He looked grim and pointed through a swinging double door.  
  
Sara moved through the doors then stopped at the beginning of a long hallway. Most of the doors on either side, eight in all, were shut except for a single light at the end and on the right. Gripping her evidence case tightly, she walked down to the door. Each step of her shoes on the floor echoed with a quiet tap. In her own mind, the tapping noise was too loud.  
  
The little girl was laid out on the examination bed. The interior of the room was just like the ones Sara visited at her local Urgent Treatment Center. She set her case down on the counter near the sink and opened it up. The latex gloves gave a snap as she put them on her hands.   
  
The girl was dressed in a pale lemon colored sundress. Large sunflowers decorated the material. The girl's arms were resting beside her body. There was no sign of trauma on her amrs, neck or face that Sara could see from her vantage point. Carefully, Sara pushed the girl's shoulder length auburn hair away from her face and examined her more in more detail.  
  
At first glance, there was still no visible cause of death. Turning the victim's head away from her, Sara's eyes narrowed and she moved closer to the girl. Near her ear, there was a barely visible line behind her ear. Checking her other side, Sara spied the same marking on the child.   
  
Nausea floored the young CSI and she stepped hastily away from the body. She distracted herself by opening the girl's medical chart which was waiting for her near her evidence case. Clara Small, age eight. Father checked her into the clinic and left. Mother's whereabouts were unknown at the time. Unconsciously Sara kept moving back to the door until she came into contact with a warm object. A warm, breathing object. A warm, breathing object which leaned over her shoulder to look at the chart.   
  
"Find anything?"  
  
Sara kept her breathing as even as possible. She turned her head towards Grissom and murmured a soft 'no' at him. He reached his arm around her from the outside and took the folder from her hands. "We should get started on this." As he moved towards the little girl, he pressed into her hip for a brief pause then seemed to scoot as fast as he could away from her.   
  
Sometimes she did not understand the frustating enigma that was Gil Grissom. 


	2. Chapter Two

The Baby Farm  
  
by Bugs & Beauty  
  
AN: At the end.  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Makin Children Center  
  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
Grissom walked around the body without touching it. He reviewed the notes as he lifted her arms, legs and body one way or the other. Sara tooked pictures as needed after she unpacked her camera. The worked in unison. No words were shared between them. Before Grissom could motion for a picture to be taken of a certain angle the flash of the camera captured what evidence could be discerned from the body.  
  
"Did you find anything before I got back here?" The older CSI leaned against the wall and flipped the papers back and forth. A furrow was slowly developing between his brows.   
  
Sara nodded her head even though Grissom could not see her. "Yeah there is a marking behind both of her ears." She motioned him to take a closer look. Bending down to his knees, he used his forefinger and brushed Clara's hair away. The inoffending mark stared out at him.   
  
"I...see." Taking the file, he pushed past Sara. "Get David to take the body to the morgue then take the rest of the evidence to the lab." He walked out of the room before Sara could even nod her assent.  
  
Outside, Gil Grissom-head CSI-almost charged his way to the nurse. He had to stop himself and take steadying breaths. Ahead of him, the officer talking to the nurse was wrapping up his question and answer session. He nodded to her and once to Gil. Before the 30 something year old pediatric nurse could leave the building, he took her by the arm. The nurse turned her body to face him. The nametag read Anne Richards.   
  
"Nurse Richards?" He inquired politely then motioned her to follow him into one of the offices behind the reception desk. "Follow me please." He did not let go of her until the door was firmly closed behind them.   
  
The nurse, with her light brown hair held back in a clip, anxiously looked at him. "Is there something I can help you with sir?"  
  
"Yes." The word was curtly said as he flipped the chart open to a certain page. "How many of these children were like Clara Small?"  
  
The nurse shuffled her weight from foot to foot without answering him. "I am not sure what you mean. All of our children are here for care. We do specialize in caring for upper class families here. That is not a crime."  
  
"Are all of the children dropped off here like the dry cleaning?" Grissom peered down at her when she turned away.   
  
"You make it sound worse than it is....Mr Grissom?"  
  
He nodded his head at her. "It's Dr. Grissom, Nurse Richards. We will need you to provide full contact information for Clara." Abruptly he turned and left her in the room. Outside in the foyer, Captain Brass was leading the children into a van the police department sent out to them. "Gil." he nodded at the CSI. "We're taking them to the station. No parents here at all and I cannot find any contact information for any of them." His eyes looked past Grissom and latched onto the nurse. "She tell you anything?"  
  
Grissom shooked his head once. "No. I want to run a couple of tests on the kids when we get them back." Brass shook his head. "They're minors. We need parental consent first. You know that already."   
  
"Then we should find the parents." Gil tapped the file to his head and left for the crime lab.   
  
Sara walked out of the building and approached Brass. "He left here in a hurry." she said motioning in the direction of Grissom's Tahoe. "Did he say anything to you?"  
  
Brass gave her a negative shake of his head. "No, he wanted some tests run on the kids when we got them back. Other than that, he left in a hurry and without his evidence."  
  
Sara frowned at Jim. "I'll get it." She went to her car and backed it up to the building. Opening the back, she started piling the evidence into neat stacks. A hand reached out to grab a box. "Brass said it was okay for me to help you."  
  
Sara lifted her head to look into the man's face. He reminded her a bit of Nick and Greg. She knew he worked out and was comfortable with his profession. He moved with the ease Nick would get in a few years. However the smile was almost something Greg would give her. A lopsided sprawl of lips on a handsome face.   
  
"Thanks." She nodded to him. He closed the back of her Tahoe and walked around to the driver's side. Sara opened the door and buckled herself into the seat. He leaned over and smiled at her again. "Name's Jack Morgan." She returned his smile briefly.  
  
"Sara Sidle."  
  
AN: I tend to write in short chapters but I update often. :) I am a cofirmed GSR however I also think Sara can get other love interests if a certain BugMan ignores her. 


	3. Chapter Three

The Baby Farm  
  
by Bugs & Beauty  
  
AN: At the end...  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Las Vegas Crime Lab  
  
The Morgue  
  
Al Robbins stodd next to the body of Clara Small. She was covered with a sheet up to her collar bone. On the other side of the table, Grissom and Sara stood next to each other waiting for Robbins to begin.  
  
"She was killed by surgical ineptude." He pointed to the scars behind her ear. "See the incision? It's for a cochlear implant. When she first got here, I noticed there was a problem on the side of her face."  
  
Sara looked up at the coronoer. "I don't understand."  
  
"It's easy Sara," Grissom interupted "One of the rare side effects of this kind of surgery is face paralysis. When the surgeon is drilling through the mastoid bone to the inner ear to implant the receiver, it can cause problems later on." He looked up at Al. "How long ago was her surgery?"  
  
The doctor shrugged his shoulders. "I can't pinpoint an exact date but it was fairly recent. The incisions are not fully healed. Whoever did it also severed several nerves and nicked an atery. She bled out. Maybe a couple of days at best."  
  
Grissom nodded and motioned Sara to follow him out. "Okay, I will check on Tox and Trace." The two investigators strode down the hall to the evidence room where Clara's clothes were waiting for them.   
  
"So she was deaf then?" Sara ventured. "Cochlear implants are not uncommon these days."  
  
Gil was quiet until they reached the room. He opened the door for her. When both were inside with the door shut, he put down the files he carried and snapped on his gloves. "There is nothing wrong with being deaf Sara. It is not something that needs to be corrected."  
  
Sara raised her hands. "I never said there was Grissom." She snapped on a pair of gloves. "All I am saying is that this could be an accident. The rest of her records check out."  
  
"Who contacted her parents?"  
  
"Nick." Sara pulled out the girl's dress, underclothes and shoes. "They should be here shortly."   
  
Silence reigned as they worked side by side. At first, they moved pieces of evidence across the table to each other. The older CSI went across the room to get more evidence bags. When he came back, he assumed a position right next to Sara. She could feel his body heat through her white lab coat.  
  
Sara tucked her brown hair behind her ear. Sneaking a glance at her supervisor, she felt an uncommon pang for him. It was not the rush of attraction. Well, not really. He seemed to concentrate too much on the evidence without actually doing anything with it. After the third time Sara bagged evidence lying right in front of him, she decided to mention it-carefully.  
  
"Griss?" Getting no response, she said it louder. He still did not respond. Finally she moved directly into his personal space. "Grissom?"  
  
His lips were parted slightly. "This should never have happened Sara. They should have been happy with her the way she was born."  
  
Sara nodded her head. "Yes but they would have wanted what was best for her too."  
  
He turned his head to look at her face. "What was best?" he echoed. "She died because they were too selfish to care for a deaf child. That does not sound like the best thing to me."  
  
"Whoa." Sara backed up a step. "I'm on your side Grissom. I am just saying I can see how her parents would have wanted her to have more..."  
  
The look Grissom sent her forced her words to trail off quietly. "More?" He ripped his gloves off and tossed them into the can. "Process the rest of this scene and see me after shift Sara. If you cannot understand the victim, maybe you should not be working this case."  
  
Interrogation Room #3  
  
Nick Stokes sat at the table trying to give his best and friendliest smile. Across from him a young girl about the age of seven crossed her arms in front of her.   
  
"Now Melanie, why don't you tell me what happened tonight?" Nick leaned forward towards the girl. She slouched back in the chair and glared at him.  
  
Nick continued to smile in his oh so friendly Texas way. "C'mon sugar. Tell Uncle Nicky all about it."  
  
The little girl smiled back at him. "Okay mister..." She stood on the chair and leaned over to him. With her faces inches from his, she stuck her tongue out between her teeth and gave him one of the loudest raspberries he ever heard.   
  
"You hear that mister?"  
  
AN: There is a link for those who would like to know more about the cochlear implant surgery (http://clerccenter2.gallaudet.edu/KidsWorldDeafNet/e-docs/CI/ModuleG.html), its side effects and risks. 


	4. Chapter Four

The Baby Farm  
  
By Bugs & Beauty  
  
AN: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. As some have noticed this story takes place before anyone knew Grissom was going deaf or anyone knew he had a deaf mother. I do write short chapters.   
  
Chapter Four  
  
Las Vegas Crime Lab  
  
Interrogation Room #2  
  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
Grissom almost slammed the door to the interrogation room when he entered it. The file folder on Clara Small was clutched so badly into his hands that a part of it had tears. Seated at the opposite end of the table was a lady in a blouse and suit skirt. Next to her was a man in his late forties wearing a two piece suit. He leaned over to the woman and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.  
  
Jim Brass nodded at Gil then turned to speak to the couple. "This is Dr. Grissom. He is the lead investigator on your daughter's case. We had some questions about your daughter that might help us find out what happened to her."  
  
Gil nodded to the couple then forced himself to take a seat. He was careful to not show either of them the pictures of their daughter's body. "Our coroner found several incisions around your daughter's ears. From her facial paralysis, we believe that she had surgery for her hearing recently. Is that true?"   
  
The woman cried into her handkerchief but nodded at him. The husband murmured into her ear then sat forward to face Grissom. "That's right. Clara was born deaf. We wanted to give her an opportunity to live like a normal person."  
  
Grissom's hands tightened on the folder causing a new tear to form. He could feel his heartbeat rise until his chest thumped almost painfully in anger. Brass noticed the look on his friend's face. He nodded at the father and continued the Q&A session. "So you just left her there then?"  
  
The man shook his head. "No we brought in for surgery at the clinic. We spoke to Director Nichols and he assured us that she would get the best care. She would hear and we could take her home. She wouldn't have to be in those special classes." He looked between Brass and Grissom. "Our daughter was not 'slow' or stupid. We just needed to fix her."  
  
"Fix her?" Gil queried. "You talk about her as if she were broken Mr Small." His right fist bunched the folder. Inside the photographs twisted in his grasp.  
  
"She was broken. She couldn't do things the other kids could do. She had no friends." He gestured between his wife and himself. "We could not even talk to her. You wouldn't understand. We tried everything!"  
  
Brass interceded at that point. "Did you meet with the doctor before your daughter's surgery?"  
  
The mother shook her head in a negative fashion. "We felt it was best that she recover. They said she needed to rest and not be excited and we would get in the way." The woman started crying in earnest once more. "I killed my baby." She hunched over the table. Sharp in her back pushed her against the table as she cried and kept repeating herself. These were not the tears softly given but the hard jagged kind that leave scars no one can see. Mr. Small pulled his wife into his arms.   
  
"It was the doctor honey. Not you...not my darling." He rocked her back and forth. "Can we go now? My wife needs to rest." Brass nodded at them. Mr. Small pulled his wife close to him and helped her out of the room.   
  
Grissom sat at the table clutching the folder. The sound in the room twisted then faded into silence. Brass spoke to him but the words were gone. Not just muffled like times before but truly gone. When he did not respond, Jim clasped him on the shoulder and left the room. Thankfully he closed the door behind him.  
  
For once the deafness was not a rival to steal sound from his life. He lowered his head and felt the beating of his heart. A racing staccato egging on the panic and anger he felt towards the Smalls. He concentrated on breathing. Not the sound of inhalation and exhalation but the feeling of it. He closed his eyes and felt the air push into his lungs and expand them. He felt them contract as carbon dioxide slipped past his lips.   
  
The pictures slid out of the folder. He arranged each one in the order they were taken at the crime scene. His mind wrapped around the sad fact that this child committed no crime other than being born deaf and she died for it. Not out of choice but carelessness and fear. The fear of being different. The fear of not living up to the standards set by her father. She never got to choose if she wanted to live in a world of sound and disruption.   
  
He thought of Sara. He met her when hearing was something he still took for granted in his life. She brought a light into his life he never believed had ever existed before meeting her. He fought any feelings for her more than he ever fought any battle. She did not get to him because of a dress or how she looked on a particular day. She did nothing spectacular other than be herself with him. He did not need to wonder how she felt because she told him.  
  
She told him.  
  
He closed his eyes. He remembered the case of the murdered deaf boy from the College. Sara and Warrick's anger over being thrown out. She did not understand then and tonight she still did not understand any better than she did in the past. She was drawing lines in the sand. He knew he could not be at her side. He already was part of a new world. One that could not survive without an understanding partner.   
  
Gil Grissom leaned over the table and put his head down on the top of it. Clara Small's pictures cradled him as he choked on his sorrow. 


	5. Chapter Five

The Baby Farm  
  
by Bugs & Beauty  
  
AN: At the end.  
  
Chapter Five  
  
Las Vegas Crime Lab  
  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
Sara dug into the depths of her locker for her jacket. She tugged and rearranged her spare set of clothes so she could pull it out. Shrugging it onto her shoulders, she kicked her foot out to close her locker door. Warrick, who was standing in the corner talking into his cell, smiled at her. Sara gave him her impression of Greg which caused a deep laugh out of her friend. It felt good to simple joke around and feel connected to everyone. Warrick's laugh covered up Nick's entrance so Sara yelped when she spun around and ran smack into him.   
  
"Sorry Sar." He ducked his head and gave her a sheepish smile. Sara grabbed his arm. "You look beat. I guess no one talked."  
  
Nick shook his head. Holding up a single digit, he grimaced at her. "Only one set of parents let us talk to their kid. And that little angel," he used air quotes "had a very bad case of ADD. She bit, spit, ran amok and almost killed Greg."  
  
Sara bit back a laugh. "Poor Greg." Nick's answering grin spread across his face. "Yeah." He patted her on the shoulder. "Take care beautiful." Warrick grabbed Nick's free arm and moved him towards the exit. Sara could hear them teasing each other.   
  
The brunette CSI stepped out into the hall. Very few people were still at work from the night shift. She spotted Jenny and Mark from Ecklie's crew come in early. Both headed over to her.  
  
Jenny was a small built girl with an eye catching head of red hair. Sara wanted to ask her if she colored it but felt the question would be considered rude. Perhaps she was Irish, Sara thought as she looked at her blue eyes. Mark was as different from her as night and day. His entire look screamed Iowa Farm Boy in all capital letters. Even after seven years in Vegas, he still spoke with his country twang.  
  
"Guess what good news we got yesterday?" Jenny smirked and made a show of elbowing Mark. Mark pretended he was mortally wounded and theatrically sagged against a column.  
  
"Mark graduated from high school?" Sara made her voice as innocent as possible. Jenny chortled something that sounded suspiciously like, "Burn, burn". Mark looked indignant.   
  
"I'll have you know I gradiated with top honors." He made his accent even more pronounced than ever before.  
  
"In a class of one?" Jenny rebounded back to him.  
  
Mark sighed and looked above for help. "The good news is that Ted left so we have an opening on day shift." The young man waggled his brows at Sara. "Feel like seeing what the sun actually looks like Sidle?"  
  
She waved him off. "Not anytime soon. I look better in moonlight."  
  
"Don't we all..." Jenny patted her hair. "Let's get going before Conrad blows a fuse." They waved at her before heading into one of the evidence rooms.   
  
The last stop on Sara's journey was Grissom's office. She paused outside the door. From her vantage point, she could see him seated at his desk with his back to her. She almost left when she heard him say "Stop". Sara took a half-step back and leaned against the door frame.  
  
"What time is your flight landing? Stop," Grissom wrote something hastily on a notepad. "I love you. See you soon. Stop." Whatever his caller had to say engrossed Grissom enough so Sara could move from her spot.   
  
"Hey" Sara jumped and collided with Catherine.  
  
"Uh hey." She pushed past the blonde and out of the door, missing her meeting with Grissom.   
  
Catherine looked at Sara before knocking twice on Grissom's door. He looked up from his stack of papers and waved her inside.   
  
"That must be an interesting note." She motioned with her eyes at his notepad and dropped the current case files on his desk. He leveled one of his patented Grissom looks her way.   
  
"My mother is coming to visit. I may be late tomorrow so I want you to hand out assignments." Catherine's expression perked up. Grissom was never late or missed a day or work if he could help it. He continued, "Sara and I will work the Small case." The older CSI flipped over a few loose pages. "If you see Sara before I do, let her know we need to talk before she leaves today."  
  
Catherine leaned back in her chair. "Actually she almost plowed me over to get out of here today."  
  
Grissom frowned at her. "I told her earlier to see me at the end of shift today."   
  
The blonde shrugged her shoulders. She has been slacking lately. You should talk to her about it." Grissom nodded absently at her. Rising from his chair, he walked with her out of the building.  
  
AN: I am once more pleased that people have given me support with their reviews. Feedback really does feed a writer. To anyone who did not know, if a deaf person makes a phone call, an interpreter can be used to speak with a hearing person. At the end of each exchange the person says "Stop" to show the exchange person that they can translate that part of the conversation. If that made any sense... 


	6. Chapter Six

The Baby Farm   
  
by Bugs & Beauty  
  
AN: Whee!  
  
Chapter Six-Following Sara Sidle  
  
Sara shaded her eyes as she stepped out from the lab. Some of the early shift police officers, lab techs, secretaries and fellow workers filed past her to clock in and get started on their shift. The only thing Sara could think of was a hot bath and the warm bed waiting for her at home.   
  
For the second time that day, a warm male body pressed into her. Sara thought of Grissom but the build was slighter than his and the movements lacked his grace. Her brown eyes trailed up to the face-Jack Morgan's face. He was carrying a drink holder with four Starbuck coffees in it.  
  
"Hey Sara. Wait here for me ok? I have something on that Small case for you." He hurried up the stairs and spoke briefly with one of the other officers. Handing off the coffees, he bounded down the steps and took her by the arm. "I was thinking about that girl last night." A shudder went through his body. "Something was bugging me about it." He looked down at her. "I can buy us breakfast."  
  
Sara shook her head. "It's really not necessary." The dark haired man already shook his head to interrupt her.  
  
"Actually it is because I need your help and I can tell you are tired from your shift." He steered her to his car. "I really have the day off but I wanted to get started back on the case." He unlocked the passenger side door. "Get in and I'll drive us."  
  
Sara closed the door behind her. Mark started the truck and hit the gas a bit hard. Smiling an apology, he shifted gears. When they turned out of the parking lot, Sara could have sworn she saw Grissom standing in the parking lot giving her the evil eye. She shuddered and sat back into the seat. "I see the strangest things."  
  
Mark drove them to a Denny's located on the second exit from Sara's apartment. She unbuckled her seatbelt and followed him inside. After they found a booth and ordered breakfast, Sara threw him a pointed look. "As much as I love Denny's, I think we should go over the evidence you found about the Small case."  
  
The other man nodded at her. "Okay and I ask that you bear with me. Not all of us are as brainy as you CSIs." A smirk played about his lips. "I went back with Jim to talk to the Director of that place." He pulled out a black and white photo of a balding man in his forties. "Our dear friend here did not really say much so I did a background check. Seems that so-called center is really nothing more than a baby pound."  
  
Sara looked at the picture. "I'm not sure I get what you are saying. You mean like a dog pound? People leaving their kids behind?" A pained look pressed her lips together. "Even if it were true, what does this have to do with Clara being killed?"  
  
Mark nodded at her and pushed himself back from the table as their waitress arrived to serve them. The steam from his breakfast omelette plate was shooshed away by him waving the pictures towards Sara. "Some of these parents haven't been back to check up on their kids in months. When we got the warrant for the place, there were adoption papers already filled out with the parent's names on them." He paused "Including Clara's mother and father. I doubt they left her there to get rest as they said before."  
  
Sara sat back in her seat. "But why have the surgery then?" She shook her head and took a sip of her coffee. "It does not make sense.Do you think she was in the adoption process and her new parents paid for it?"  
  
Mark shook his head. "No. I checked that angle out too. There was no adoption process for her. She was admitted there just twenty-four hours before she had surgery."  
  
"Sounds like a baby farm." The brunette commented idly.  
  
"A what?" Mark choked on the image of babies growing up in cabbage patches. "What the hell is a baby farm?"  
  
Sara chuckled at him. "I would have to show you. You would not believe me." She hesitated and looked down at her plate. "I um... I don't want you to take this the wrong way Mark."  
  
He leaned forward. "I won't. If you want me out of it, I'll go." He started to rise from his seat.   
  
"No! I meant... oh hell. Let's go back to my place. I'll show you the information about baby farms." Sara flipped her wallet open and dropped a ten on the table. "Just don't get any ideas Mister." She wagged her finger at him.   
  
He raised his arms in the air. "No ma'am! I'll keep on driving though if you don't mind."  
  
Sara laughed.  
  
Sara's Apartment  
  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
Sara unlocked the door and let him inside. She nodded at her neighbor, Ms. Johnston, who looked disapprovingly at Mark. He caught the non-verbal exchange and gave Ms. Johnston a big farm boy smile. She slammed the door on them.   
  
"Sorry about that. She's a bit old and thinks all of the women here are whores if they are single." Mark coughed and blushed at her words. Sara bit back another laugh.   
  
"Sit over by the computer. I'll pull up those sites." She went into the kitchen and returned with two coffee mugs. "Hope you like it black. I need to go shopping soon." He accepted the mug and smiled at her. "I like it any way I can get it." It was Sara's turn to blush.   
  
"What were you doing with the uh... baby farm you said?" He gestured to her computer.   
  
"Oh yeah. Well you're not the only one who can play a hunch." She turned it on and scooted a chair next to his while pointing at the screen. She clicked on her bookmarks. A site popped up on the screen. "When I was in college, I had to turn in a paper on late 19th century and early 20th century crimes. Most people like to pick things like Jack the Ripper or Lizzie Borden. I was looking through some old newspapers and found a story about a woman who had an out of wedlock kid." Sara started to gesture as she spoke to him. "Well back during that time a woman simply did not have a child out of wedlock. especially in a place like Australia or England. So they would take their kids to another woman who was a nurse or nun and pay that woman to take care of her kid. Like a daycare only you never picked your kid up."  
  
Mark started to nod his head. "But adoption is more accepted and let's face it-out of wedlock kids are the norm for Vegas. How does this help us?"   
  
"Yeah but people still want their picture perfect families. All of the kids at that center had something in common. They were not perfect. Clara was deaf, the kid Nick questioned had behavioral problems and I would bet the others have a similar tale."  
  
Mark shook his head. "It's hard to believe Sara..." He gestured at the computer.   
  
"Maybe. But if we can get a warrant and talk to the parents, I bet one of them will crack. It would only take one to break this case open."  
  
They were interrupted by a commotion outside. Both rose from their chairs. Sara opened her door. The noise was louder now. Grissom came into view with his hands up in the air.   
  
Ms. Johnston advanced on him. When Sara spoke, she turned to her with a threatening look. "I told you to stop whoring around with all those guys." The older lady looked at Grissom. "This one has been in there doing God knows what with her. You the police?"  
  
Grissom shrugged his shoulders. "Uh..yes. I'll take care of it from here." Ms. Johnston went back to her apartment and slammed the door shut. Grissom turned with a smile on his face that froze when Mark left the apartment. "I can always come back Sara if you are too busy." He stressed the last word with narrowed eyes.   
  
Sara stared at him. "What?" Mark seemed to understand more than she did about the situation. "I was just leaving Mr. Uh...Grissom." He nodded to Sara and left the building in a rather hurried manner. Sara looked from Mark's retreating back to Grissom who looked severely pissed off at her.   
  
"What did I do?" she asked him.  
  
"I want you off this case Sara. You are spending too much time with your boyfriend and not enough time trying to solve it." He turned on one foot and walked off. Sara was left with her mouth hanging open. 


	7. Chapter Seven

The Baby Farm  
  
by Bugs and Beauty  
  
AN: Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive of this fic. Any words in * and * are done in sign language.   
  
Chapter Seven-Following Gil Grissom  
  
Some days it did not pay to look up from the microscope. Catherine's words rang in Grissom's memory. He had kept his head low as he barreled past the doors. Past the stairs. Past the tears. The watch on his arm ringed twice. He was late in picking up his mother from the airport.  
  
Gil placed his mother's bags in the spare guest room. She smiled at him. His own mouth formed an answering smile as the older lady gave herself a quick tour of his home. She inspected his bookcases, his desk, his cupboards and even opened the freezer. Seeming satisfied with what she found, Cordelia Grissom sat on his couch. She patted the seat next to her.  
  
*Do you need to take a nap?* Grissom finger spelled to her quickly. She shook her head and blent her fingers to loosen them up.   
  
*There is something wrong with you. You cannot lie to your mother Gil. I could see it when I got in your car. I can see it now.* The older woman began speaking to her son. Gil recognized the y formation of her hand held to her chin. The sign for the word wrong. He sighed to himself. Her finger touching her lips and moving across them also told him she knew he was lying about something.   
  
He raised both of his hands and prepared for their not so verbal conversation. Too many people underestimated his mother because she was deaf. He knew better. *There is nothing wrong mother. I am working too many hours.* His own hands formed the y formation followed by the sign for mother. She harrumphed at him.  
  
*This is more than work. I know you Gil.*  
  
His own patience, combined with the stress of seeing that...man with Sara hit the breaking point. *Sara, the girl I told you about is dating another man.* His hand motions were choppy. After he finished signing, he bent his head down. He did not want to cry. Not here. Not in front of his mother.  
  
She tapped him on the shoulder. When he did not raise his head, she grabbed him near his collar and roughly shook him back and forth. *You have no one to blame but yourself. You knew you liked her Gil.*  
  
Grissom did not know what to expect but her reaction was not at the top of his list. A line formed as his lips compressed together in anger. *I have nothing to give her. How could I go after her? I...*  
  
His mother grabbed his hands. *What do you mean nothing?!?* she gestured around. *You have a good career, a good heart and a good home. You love her. That is the greatest gift you could give her Gil.*  
  
He shook his head. *I am too old for her. She deserves better.*  
  
Cordelia waved his hands off. *Nonsense.* She gave him a measured look. *Does this have anything to do with your father?* Her fingers wiggled as she made the sign for father. Grissom shot her a pensive look. She nodded at him.  
  
*You are not your father. I have told you this many times. You are your own man.* She graced him with a smile and continued signing. *Why are you punishing both her and yourself?*  
  
Gil's hands flew up. *I am not punishing anyone. I am trying to protect her.* He stressed protect with his hands.   
  
*You are punishing her. You deny her the ability to love you and you punish her by not loving her as she deserves. You punish yourself by not letting your love for her out in the open.* His mother sat back against the couch.   
  
Grissom took off his glasses. He had to make his mother see that what he wanted with Sara could never happen between them. *I am her supervisor.*  
  
*You dated that other girl. You can date Sara too.*  
  
He played his trump card. *She chose someone else. I can't interfere now.*  
  
A smile lit up his mother's face. *Nothing in life worth having will come to you without a fight. You will have to fight for her. She deserves that much from you.*  
  
*What if she does not want me?* His gestures were slow and hesitant. It was always in the back of his mind. His Sara with her silky brown hair...laughing with someone else. Someone who was not him.   
  
*No one can predict the future. Despite your father leaving us, I will never regret it. It brought you into my life.* She leaned over and hugged him. *You do not know what joy this Sara will bring into your life until you let her in.*  
  
He nodded his head at her. *I did some stupid things this morning.*  
  
*Then fix it.*  
  
And he decided she was right. 


	8. Chapter Eight

The Baby Farm  
  
by Bugs & beauty  
  
AN: At the end.  
  
Las Vegas Crime Lab  
  
Las Vegas, Nevada  
  
Captain Brass and Grissom were seated at one end of the table interrogation room eight. At the opposite end, Director Farnham was seated with his attorney. Brass stood up and left the room. When he came back, he set down four cups of coffee. "Feel free to help yourself." He motioned to the suspect and his lawyer.  
  
"I would like to know why I was dragged out of bed Captain. I already told you that we had nothing to do with Clara Small's death."  
  
Grissom leaned forward. "She died because some butcher did not do his job correctly." He pushed a picture in front of the other man. "These incisions were made to her after her parents left her at your center. Can you explain why you had a surgery performed on her?"  
  
"Her parents sent her there to get better. They wanted her to have a normal life..." He was cut off as Sara entered the room. She had several file folders in her hand. With a bare nod to the other two men, she took a seat next to Grissom. Brass raised his eyebrows at her and nodded to Gil to let her ask some questions.   
  
The brunette opened the first folder. She took three pictures out and laid them in the middle of the table. The first picture was one of Clara's when she was a baby. The second was a family portrait when she was six. The third one was an autopsy photo. "Her parents took her to you Mr Farham. They were not coming back." Grissom blinked at her.  
  
"Of course they were." The man looked to his attorney than back to Sara. "What sort of operation do you think I am running?"  
  
A smile darted across her face. "Actually I already know what kind of operation you are running Mr Farnham." She pulled several pages from the second folder. "We already have proof that you have sold three children to a Manhattan couple after several *corrective* surgeries." She emphasized corrective. "All of these kids were deaf, partially blind or had some defect."  
  
Director Farnham sat back in his chair. "It's not selling to adopt out a child. Those costs were medical bills that are allowable by law."  
  
"And the surgeries?" Sara asked quietly.  
  
The man laughed harshly. "Who is going to raise a sick child? No one wants a child who is not perfect. We take those children and make them better. Wouldn't you want your child to have the best life possible?" He looked from the brunette to Grissom and finally his eyes fell on Brass. "It's perfectly legal."  
  
Grissom stood up so fast that his chair fell back. He collected his folder and left everyone else behind. Sara saw how his face was screwed up in anger. She wondered how fast his heartbeat was at the time. Brass stood the chair back up. Her attention returned to the suspect.  
  
"Why would you have to change a child? There are plenty of people out there who would take a little girl like Clara even if she could not hear." She shook her head.  
  
The attorney stood up. "Unless you are going to press charges, we're leaving here." Both men walked out of the room. Brass looked at Sara.   
  
"You know maybe they are right."  
  
Sara shook her head. "Every child is precious." Her mind played back the words Grissom had told her in the past. "Deafness is not a pathology Brass." She walked out.  
  
Brass smiled.  
  
Las Vegas Crime Lab  
  
Computer Room  
  
Grissom found Sara typing away at a computer. The interrogation had yielded nothing but she had refused to even slow down. As soon as the two men left, she stormed off to this room. Anyone who tried to pop their head in to say hello was ignored or worse. Grissom finally stirred from his office after Greg walked by holding his head.   
  
"If you keep staring at the computer, your eyes will go bad." he offered up to her. She smiled one of her private smiles at him. "It wouldn't change what is on the inside."  
  
"No." He walked in the room. "I wanted to ask you something."  
  
Sara raised her eyebrows. "What?"  
  
He took a seat and put it next to her. "What's a baby farm?"   
  
Sara smiled and pulled up a website. "I did one of my research papers on baby farms for a history class." Grissom leaned over her shoulder and read the information. "And you think the center is a baby farm?"  
  
Sara nodded her head. "Yeah. I mean we do allow medical expenses but I know something is wrong." She maximized another window. "You remember when we brought Clara's parents in?" He nodded an assent. "Well I was thinking then that they paid for her surgery. Only it is the center that is paying for it then charging the adoptive parents. I know something is not right."  
  
Grissom leaned over into more of her personal space. "I agree." The other woman looked at him. "You do?" He nodded again. "I know we checked to see if Clara's parents made a check out to the center but did we see if the center paid her parents?"  
  
Sara leaned back in her chair. "You're saying they sold her off..." She looked sick.   
  
"One way to find out." Grissom dialed a number on the telephone by the computer. "Brass, I need you to check on something for me..." 


	9. Chapter Nine

The Baby Farm  
  
by Bugs and Beauty  
  
AN: We are at the end of this story *sob*. What I wanted everyone to know is that this is the first of a trilogy? This story does stand alone but it meshes well with the other two-Unsound Mind and Visible Evidence-as they are all written in the same universe and build upon each other. I have many short stories that are waiting to be written so I don't know exactly when I will start Unsound Mind. Ironically, Visible Evidence is almost done. :P The major issue I am having is how many stories will take place between Baby Farm and Visible Evidence.   
  
Las Vegas Crime Lab  
  
Interrogation Room Eight  
  
Grissom and Sara stood behind the one way mirror. The brunette hugged her arms to her body. Grissom tilted his head so he could see her without being too obvious about it. She looked thin. Too thin. His eyes narrowed with disapproval at the thought. Too often it seemed she sacrificed too much of herself for others. His own behavior towards her made him wince. Inside the room Brass was seated with another officer. The older CSI recognized him as the man who was at Sara's apartment earlier. He took a minute to really assess the other man. He was roughly fifteen years younger than Grissom. His hair had not grayed nor was he out of shape. Gil sucked in his stomach. Perhaps he should look at some of the gym offers in his junk mail. Now that he had decided to be with Sara, he was not about to let some stupid pup in a uniform take her away from him.   
  
His attention went back to Brass as the Director entered the room with his attorney. Farnham was too smug. He could see Brass gesture for them both to be seated at the table. The officer..Mark, as he recalled the name, took over the interrogation. He could feel rather than see Sara focus her attention to the man.  
  
Sara felt Grissom tense up the moment the suspect entered the room. Something was different about him. She allowed her eyes to wander over to his body. She could not tell a difference at first but he seemed to have lost weight. She turned her head over as soon as he looked her way.  
  
"Sara..." He trailed off not knowing what to say to her.   
  
She sighed. "Grissom, I-I don't know what to say." She moved her body closer to him. Her hands raised up and she gestured as she spoke. "Mark is...well he is not Hank. We were going over evidence at my apartment. Nothing else."  
  
Grissom let out the breath he was holding inside. "Oh." His brow furrowed as he thought over his position.   
  
"Aren't you going to apologize?" She threw up her hands. "Forget it. Why do I expect you to understand anymore."  
  
Grissom's reply was lost as Brass slammed his fist on the table. Farnham sat back in his chair and his attorney started talking-very fast. When he turned his head, Sara had left the room. Things had to change between them.  
  
"Sidle!" the name barked louder than he meant to but it got her attention. She looked mortified that he was so loud. He gestured to his office and walked inside. For once, Brass could take care of the suspect. He cleared off his desk. Papers flew to the floor in stacks. Some neat and some not so neat but he did not care. What would he say to her?  
  
Sara trudged into his office. "Close the door." His voice was firm. He could see the reluctance and rebellion in her eyes. Unlike Nick or Warrick, she looked at him like he was the enemy.   
  
"What do you want?"   
  
"You missed..." his mind raced "....we had a meeting at the end of shift yesterday. You missed it." He found something concrete to talk about to her. "When I set a date and time for a meeting, I expect you to follow through on it."  
  
"The same could be said of you." Her expression was not friendly.  
  
"It's obvious you have problems dealing with cases concerning people who are different."  
  
"Maybe those different people should give me a chance. They already made up their mind about how I think and feel before I even got to do anything."  
  
He looked at her. Was she trying to tell him something else? He could not tell from her expression. "You don't seem sensitive to other people's needs."  
  
"Hah! You are one to talk of sensitivity Grissom. Most of the time you are on my back about being too sensitive." She rose from the chair and pointed her finger at him. "Maybe you need to decide how you feel."  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He rounded his desk. "I do the best I can with what I have which is not much. Nobody is without mistakes Sara. It's hard to do things right if the other person does not forgive those mistakes."  
  
Sara bit her lip. "Maybe other people need to communicate more and not jump to conclusions."   
  
He nodded at her. An uneasy silence fell between them. Sara was the first to look away. He sat behind his desk and made a show of shuffling papers. Brass' head popped inside. "You guys not love me anymore?" He said with a smile.  
  
Sara nodded at him. "We get a confession?" Brass shrugged his shoulders. "I got one for paying for a child. The center will close and maybe the DA will prosecute the parents." He shook his head. "It only feels like half a victory."  
  
Sara pushed past him and out the door. Brass looked at Gil. "Problems in paradise?"   
  
Grissom sighed.  
  
The End  
  
Addendum: I deliberately left the case with an unsatisfying end. Not the happiest of GSR stories but I think it plays fairly true to form for them. 


End file.
